Baseball pitcher leaves family behind to join new team because of his dog

Moving on: Mark Buehrle will live apart from his family in Toronto (Picture: Reuters)

Pitcher Mark Buehrle will have to live apart from his family when he joins Toronto Blue Jays this season because of his dog.

The Major League star has been sent to Toronto as part of a payroll purge by his club Miami Marlins.

However, Buehrle has been forced to leave wife Jamie, son Braden, five, and three year-old daughter Brooklyn in the US because one of his dogs, he has four, Slater is a mix of bulldog and American Staffordshire Terrier- which is of pit bull lineage. And pitbulls are banned in Ontario.

‘He’s an awesome dog,’ said Burhrle.

‘That’s what’s a shame, just the way he looks is why we have to get separated.’

Buehrle, who has ruled out leaving the pooch with friends or in a kennel, added: It’s something we are going to deal with. It’s going to be tough at the beginning not seeing your kids, but people deal with it and we’ll make it work.’